African and Caribbean Recipes ALL RECIPES
Rasta Pasta
Rasta Pasta – a Jamaican-inspired one-pot dish with creamy cheesy pasta tossed on top with jerk chicken and bell peppers. Creamy, cheesy and spicy!
I hope this decadent one-pot pasta meal here would be enough to officially welcome the spring season. With its beautiful colors at one look, you can truly say that this dish here means serious business – serious in getting you drool! 
What is Rasta Pasta?
Rasta, in short for Rastafari or Rastafarianism, is a belief and lifestyle that originated in Jamaica during the 1930s and they have since spread throughout the Caribbean and even to the rest of the world.
This Jamaican-inspired one-pot meal Rasta Pasta is a simple yet decadent dish that’s great as a family weeknight meal or for entertaining. Over the years, it has evolved from a simple pasta veggie dish with coconut-milk based sauce to a creamy, cheesy, pasta veggies with jerk chicken and/or shrimps.
But even without the meat, Rasta Pasta alone is a decadent meal with its creamy sauce.
Other than the name, what makes this dish more Jamaican-inspired is by seasoning my chicken with my homemade jerk seasoning which brings depth of flavor to the meat. You can make this jerk-seasoned chicken ahead of time and just toss it over the pasta. Or you can serve it on the side if you want to.
What ingredients are in a Rasta Pasta?
Classic Rasta Pasta would use coconut milk as a base for the sauce, however, since I want that chicken flavor to linger more in the pasta, I decided to use heavy cream to go along with the chicken stock. Personally, Parmesan cheese pairs well with a heavy cream-based sauce than that of a coconut milk.
Furthermore, since not all of our readers here can easily access Parma Rosa sauce mix (another ingredient in a classic Rasta Pasta), I left it out and adjusted the sauce to somehow mirror that cheesy, creamy, with a hint of savory and heat. And it turned out great! Everybody loved it and it’s even approved by my Jamaican friend.
You may add shrimps into this or even sliced oxtails! As always, adjust the creaminess and heat based on your preference.
Ever since that little gathering, I’ve been making this easy and amazing Rasta Pasta dish almost every other day and I don’t think I’ll be stopping soon. It quickly flies off the table and just as appealing to the little ones. Now I have more reason to schedule a little gathering in my house more often; I got a crowd-pleasing recipe and a set of customizable and efficient kitchen appliances .
Enjoy!
Rasta Pasta
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Marinating Time
30 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Rasta Pasta - a Jamaican-inspired one-pot dish with creamy cheesy pasta tossed on top with jerk chicken and bell peppers. Creamy, cheesy and spicy!
Course: Main
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: chicken and pasta, chicken dinner, easy recipes, pasta, quick and easy
Servings: - servings
Calories: 503 kcal
Ingredients
Chicken Seasoning
- 2 pounds (908 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- salt to taste
- 2-3 teaspoons (8-12 g ) jerk seasoning
Rasta Pasta
- 2 tablespoons (28 ml) canola oil
- ½ medium onions , sliced
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon (0.80 g) fresh thyme
- 1 red bell pepper , sliced
- 1 green bell pepper , sliced
- 1 orange bell pepper , sliced
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) paprika
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) Worcestershire
- ¼ cup (60 ml) chicken stock
- ½ - 1 cup (120 - 240 g) heavy cream
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 ounce (224 g) Penne pasta
- 1 green onions , sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot, according to box instructions. Salt according to taste, drain and set aside.
- Place chicken thighs in a medium bowl, then generously season the chicken with salt and jerk seasoning, making sure all sides of the chicken are covered with the spice. Cover chicken with a transparent plastic wrap and let it marinate for about 30 minutes or up to 24 hours
- Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add about 1 tablespoon of oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Using a thong, add in the chicken and sear both sides until golden or until fully cooked through and juice from the chicken runs clear, about 8-10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. For faster cooking you may cut chicken in bite size pieces .Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add remaining oil to the pan, cook onions, garlic and thyme stirring for about a minute until onions is soft. Then add in bell peppers, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with paprika, Worcestershire and the remainder of the jerk spice.
- Pour in chicken stock and heavy cream, bring it to a boil then simmer for about 3-4 minutes , add parmesan cheese and cook for another minutes. Slice prepared chicken and set aside
- Finally toss in pasta and with sliced chicken or serve with chicken on top , like I did.
- Sprinkle with green onions and/or parsley.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust heavy cream to desired thickness. Use an extra ½ cup or more for creamy pasta. You may omit completely and replace with an extra tomato.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Facts
Rasta Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 503Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 125mg42%
Sodium 423mg18%
Potassium 999mg29%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 49g98%
Vitamin A 2175IU44%
Vitamin C 84.2mg102%
Calcium 142mg14%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
How to Make Rasta Pasta
Cook pasta in a large pot, according to box instructions. Salt according to taste, drain and set aside. Place chicken thighs in a medium bowl, then generously season the chicken with salt and jerk seasoning, making sure all sides of the chicken are covered with the spice. Cover chicken with a transparent plastic wrap and let it marinate for about 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Heat a heavy cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add about 1 tablespoon of oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Using a thong, add in the chicken and sear both sides until golden or until fully cooked through and juice from the chicken runs clear, about 8-10 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chicken. For faster cooking you may cut chicken in bite size pieces .Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add remaining oil to the pan, cook onions, garlic and thyme stirring for about a minute until onions is soft. Then add in bell peppers, cook for about 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with paprika, Worcestershire and the remainder of the jerk spice. 
Pour in chicken stock and heavy cream, bring it to a boil then simmer for about 3-4 minutes , add parmesan cheese and cook for another minutes. Slice prepared chicken and set aside 
Finally toss in pasta and with sliced chicken or serve with chicken on top , like I did. Sprinkle with green onions and/or parsley.
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